1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to conditional access controlled devices connected to shared conditional access networks. More particularly, the invention relates to delivering conditional access information to conditional access controlled devices that support different transmission protocols.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many home or business networks that are connected to shared conditional access networks (e.g., cable television service providers and satellite television service providers), a conditional access controlled device, such as a signal converter or decoder (set-top) box, is used to receive signals from a source, such as a cable television plant. The set-top box (STB) or other suitable conditional access controlled device receives conditional access information, audio/video services and other information from the source according to a transmission protocol with which the conditional access controlled device is compatible or by which the conditional access controlled device is supported. The conditional access controlled device interprets or decodes the information and uses the information to manage conditional access features and other command, control and configuration features applicable to the conditional access controlled device.
Some home networks include different conditional access controlled devices that often are compatible with only one or a few particular transmission protocols or with different transmission protocols than other conditional access controlled devices. Also, certain information transmitted by the source to the destination is transmitted in only one particular transmission protocol, where the transmission protocol is not always compatible with every conditional access controlled device in the end location, e.g., the home or business network.
For example, traditionally, many home networks typically included a conditional access controlled device, i.e., a set-top box, that supported a legacy communication protocol that allows the device to communicate directly with the conditional access system. However, innovation and market forces have created a new generation of communication protocols that are not supported by legacy devices. The new communication protocols were then rolled into the conditional access system, thus making some legacy devices obsolete. Cost reductions on newer products also reduce the inclusion of the new communication protocols on the conditional access controlled devices. Many of these different conditional access controlled devices have different hardware configurations and/or use different transmission protocols that often are not supported by or compatible with the conditional access control system.
Similarly, most cable television service providers transmit much of their information according to one or more transmission protocols with which most set-top box devices are relatively compatible. However, some information transmitted by the service provider, e.g., conditional access (CA) messages, often requires specific hardware to support the protocol used to transmit such information. Many existing conditional access controlled devices in the home network do not include such hardware or otherwise do not support the particular transmission protocols used to transmit such information.
To replace existing conditional access controlled devices with conditional access controlled devices that include the hardware necessary to support most conditional access transmission protocols would be relatively time consuming and expensive for the service provider and/or the end user. Similarly, to upgrade existing conditional access controlled devices to make their hardware configuration compatible with most conditional access transmission protocols cannot be done without relatively significant time and expense. Moreover, conditional access transmission protocols sometimes change slightly over time as improved versions are made available, or such protocols sometimes are completely replaced with new or different protocols. Thus, it would be relatively impractical to replace conditional access controlled devices or upgrade their hardware configurations as rapidly as conditional access transmission protocol revisions become available.